Half to edward d



(Nd Model.)

1111mm. TENSION DEVICE FOR CABLE RAILWAYS. .No. 364,489.

Patented June 7, 1887..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. DALE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE- HALF TOEDWARD D. DOUGHERTY, OF SAME PLACE.

TENSION DEVICE FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,489, dated June 7,1887.

Application filed December E 1886. Serial No. 221,107. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. DALE, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Tension Devices for Cable Railways; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to tension devices for cable railways.

The object of my presentinvent-ion is to provlde a compact mechanismwhereby the tension of a traction-cable may be regulated and the slackor looseness of the cable occasioned by stretching or other causes maybe taken up automatically after a proper adjustment of working parts ofthe device in relation to the cable is made.

A further object is to provide a tension-regulating device that issimple in construction, reliable in action, and will be accuratelyadjustable to suit the varying strain on the running cable from changingdraft resistance.

A further object is to construct a self-adjusting or automatictension-regulator, that will have few working parts, that are allaccessible,

and may be manufactured and kept in working condition at a low cost forconstruct-ion and repairs.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafterdescribed, andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thetension apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device.

Referring to the drawings, A represents two similar vertical standardsor frames, made of metal or other proper material. These upright framesare preferably constructed wider at the base A, to give necessarystability and brace them to resist side strains. The side edges, a a,are inclined toward each other, as shown in Fig. 1, and at the topare'joined to form half-shells b. A cap, I), is fitted in place uponeach standard to form, with the halfshells 7), two journal-boxes, whoseaxial centers are in the same horizontal plane.

The beams B are webbed in a manner-usual to secure necessary strengthand reasonable lightness, and are secured together by the transversebolts 0 e, and also by the journalshafts g that are inserted in holesmade for their reception in the ends of the walking beams B.

The grooved pulleys O D are rotatively mounted on the transverse shaftsg 9. They are preferably made of equal size, and their perforated hubsare made of a proper length each side of the grooved centers of thewheels, so that the grooved faces of these pulleys will be in the samevertical plane.

A proper frame, I, is provided at the rear of the upright frame A A, tosupport horizontally the sliding carriage h, which latter is providedfor the support of the idler-pulley E. Awindlass, F, is attached to workon the side of the frame I, and by rope or chain and sheaveblocks G Gthe pulley E may be made to recede from the frame A A.

At a proper point above the frame I two similar grooved pulleys, I, areshaft-mounted to rotate together. Above the pulleys and to their reartwo similar pulleys, J ,are rotativel y adjusted to any suitable frameor fixed point. The pulleys I and J are placed in the same verticalplane, respectively, so that the parallel chains or wire ropes H H willwork properly when located in the grooves of these pulleys.

The chains or ropes H H" are secured to the lower shaft, 9, that isaflixed to the walkingbeams B, and extend rcarwardly in running contactwith the pulleys I and over the pulleys J, and. thence downward toconnect to the weight K. This weightK maybe a solid block, or may be inthe form of a box, with'a suit able means of connection to itssupporting ropes or chains, the box being of a capacity to hold weightin excess of the maximum demands of the service. Lead or other heavymaterial may be placed therein in proper amount to attain the desiredresult.

In operation the endless cable M is wound around the driving-drum L,then adjusted in position on the pulleys O D, and also on the pulley E.The cable is stretched to remove slack or looseness by drawing thecarriage h, with its mounted pulley E, to the rear by the Windlass F andchain blocks G G. The, attached chains or wire ropes H H should be ofsuch relative length that the weight K will be raised free and thussuspended, as shown in Fig. 1, when any increase of draft onthe runningcable by the attachment of additional carstherete causes a change intension of the cable. This change will be properly compensated for bythe vibration of the beam and the elevation proportionately of the end 9of the walking-beams B, as it is evident that the upward movement of thepulley O and itssnp portingshaft 9 will pull the ropes or chains H H andthus cause an elevation of the weight K. A decrease of draft strain willbe compensated for and an equilibrium be maintained by the descent ofthe weight K.

It is apparent from the foregoing that this compensating device willadjust the tension of the cable automatically to suit variations causedby the hooking on or dropping of cars on the line, when a properadjustment of relative parts has been provided by a graduation of thesuspended weight to the maximum strain it is designed to counteract.

The several elements embodied in this compensating device are of simpleconstruction and consequent cheap production, and, as ready access isafforded to adjust and lubricate the running bearings, excessive wear offrictional surfaces is avoided, and consequent 40 a flexible deviceconnecting the weight and v walking-beam.

2. The combination, with a supported walking-beam having grooved pulleysmounted thereon and an endless cable, of a counteracting weight and aflexible connection between the weight and walking-beam, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination, with an endless cable, of a driving-drum, asupported walkingbeam, pulleys on the beam, a sliding carriage carryinga cable-pulley, means for sliding the carriage, two chains or ropes,pulleys to support the chains or ropes, and a variable weight,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. DALE.

Witnesses:

S. W. Roor, W ALTER H. Lnrr.

